Rand Paul to GOP: Our voter ID push is “offending people”

posted at 4:41 pm on May 9, 2014 by Allahpundit

I’ve been waiting three hours since I saw this tweet for the NYT to publish a transcript or story about what he said, but no dice as I’m writing this. If it happens tonight, I’ll update with a link. The quote’s almost certainly not out of context, though: Remember, Paul told David Axelrod a few weeks ago that he thinks the GOP might be overemphasizing the issue. What’s newsy about this is the tone. Sounds like he’s gone from “maybe this isn’t a great idea” to “let’s drop it, quickly.”

Just sat down w @SenRandPaul after his meeting with black pastors. He says GOP needs to lay off voter ID. "It's offending people."

Meeting with black pastors and breaking with the party orthodoxy on voter ID is less important to Rand in building his base for the general election than it is in preemptively defusing the “Paul’s a racist” attacks that will begin the instant he emerges as a serious threat for the nomination. The left (and maybe not just the left) is going to kitchen-sink him on that — his old comments on the Civil Rights Act, his father’s newsletters, having the “Southern Avenger” on staff, even agreeing with Cliven Bundy about federal land-use practices before quickly denouncing him after his comments about blacks went viral. Between Paul’s voter ID skepticism, his outreach to black leaders, and his criticism of racial bias in drug law enforcement and sentencing, he’s trying to vaccinate himself from the “racism” attacks that are assuredly coming, at least to the extent that reporters are forced to mention all of Paul’s conciliatory measures towards minority voters when relaying Democratic talking points on him.

How does this play in the primaries, though? Voter ID is of a piece with immigration reform, I think, in that righties see both issues as very basic rule-of-law stuff. (Whereas lefties, naturally, see them as proxies for racism.) If you can enhance the integrity of elections by imposing a simple ID requirement, you do it; if you can reduce the risk of illegal immigration in the future, even as a condition to a mass amnesty right now, you do it. If Paul’s conceding on one of those issues because he’s eager to impress a core Democratic constituency from whom he’s unlikely to win many extra votes, it opens him up to speculation that he might concede on other important issues once in office. That is to say, in the name of vaccinating himself in the general election, he might be giving himself a bug in the primaries. And there is, of course, a potential rival who’ll be only too happy to make him pay for it: Not only has Ted Cruz praised GOP candidates for defending voter ID, he tried to attach a voter ID measure of his own to the Gang of Eight’s immigration bill last year. Cruz could use this as a proxy issue to convince conservatives that, when push comes to shove, Paul simply can’t be trusted to stand on principle. He has too many liabilities and he’s a bit too eager sometimes to try to atone for those liabilities. (Interestingly, if Paul’s recent flirtation with hawkishness towards Russia continues, some of his libertarian fans may agree.) But that raises a problem of its own:

Right. One of the reasons Perry got nuked in 2012 was his “you don’t have a heart” comment on in-state tuition for illegals. He got pounded for it in the primaries, including by Mitt “Self-deportation” Romney, and then Democrats turned around and pounded Romney on immigration. You might see the same thing on voter ID. Rand calls for a stand-down, Cruz or Rubio or Jeb or whoever tears him apart over it en route to the nomination, and then in the general election Democrats tear that guy apart for tearing Rand apart. They’ll be desperate in 2016 to maintain the high level of black turnout that Obama saw in 2008 and 2012. A GOP civil war on voter ID could be just what they need.

Blowback

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Hundreds of cases of potential voter fraud uncovered in North Carolina

NotCoach on May 9, 2014 at 5:15 PM

That’s why urban doofus said there’s no systemic voter fraud. You can cite all the many many examples in hundreds of counties across the country with voter fraud and he’ll dismiss it because it’s not “systemic”.

I am unsure why any group would be offended by the GOP accusing them of stealing elections — despite a complete lack of evidence of any systematic fraud — and then going out of their way to make it harder for them to vote. Rand’s just overreacting.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:12 PM

Don’t you have any confidence in your beliefs, UE?

Clearly, you think that Democrats have better ideas than Republicans, are better at governing, etc. So why do you need to cheat?

I am unsure why any group would be offended by the GOP accusing them of stealing elections — despite a complete lack of evidence of any systematic fraud — and then going out of their way to make it harder for them to vote. Rand’s just overreacting.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:12 PM

Agreed, and you should see the hoops a person has to jump through to get a gun. I mean really, I need to show an I.D. simply to purchase what is essentially a chunk of sculpted metal?

You and I, the two of us, we are going to demand action, yes we are. No ID necessary to vote or buy a gun. You bring the beer, I’ll bring the cheese and we will meet in front the senate building.

Bishop on May 9, 2014 at 5:17 PM

Excellent point. If an ID prevents people from exercising their right to vote then it prevents us from exercising our right to own and bear arms.

When do all of these pols appear in front of white church congregations to talk about the living hell of needing to show ID when voting, I mean if it’s tough for the negr0s (ht: Reid) then it’s just as tough for whitey.

I mean we’ve got public services and constitutional rights requiring these horrific ID cards… it’s terrible and racist that you can’t do any of this without an ID card, right?

If only minorities could get an ID card… but I guess that’s not allowed for some reason.

Why is that? Who is stopping them from getting ID?

Maybe that could be something to push. Find out why they can’t possibility get any ID and ever have a job, or buy alcohol, or travel, or open a bank account and let them get ID like everyone else does.

If we got down to it you and I would agree a lot more often than we don’t; I’m a pretty down-the-line conservative libertarian when it comes to most issues. On the 5% to 10% of the time when I diverge from my conservative brethren I’ll aggressively defend my positions but the overwhelming majority of the time you and I are probably in lockstep.

I didn’t mention race, you did. Why do you treat black people like criminals?

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:18 PM

Ha ha ha. You didn’t mention race? You wade in here saying there is zero evidence that “systemic” voter fraud is taking place then claim ignorance that voter ID laws oppressing the vote are ONLY talked about by the left when discussing black voters. AND the fact that this is also the case in all the stuff allahpundit mentions – including tweets form lefties and the fact Paul had been talking to black pastors who are offended by this.

But I guess you do feel shame about your racist attitudes towards blacks because you tried to dodge the implications of your own statements.

Whether or not it is easy or hard to get an ID is irrelevant. The fact that the intent of the law is to discourage voter participation for partisan purposes delegitimizes it.

And, if it’s all about ballot security, how come Republicans also began targeting early voting, Sunday voting and voter registration drives — all of which are broadly believed to encourage minority participation?

It’s very insensitive of you to laugh about heart attaches. The tragic loss of a family member to a heart attach in my youth has deeply affected me. I assure you, a heart attach is no laughing matter. Shame on you.

steebo77 on May 9, 2014 at 4:55 PM

Oh let me be the first to say STFU then. lol You think you are the only one who has ever had tragedy? I bet you do.

I will take your heart attack, and raise you a heart attack, cancer, diabetes, death by earthquake having something collapse on you. should I go on?

coolrepublica on May 9, 2014 at 4:59 PM

Come on guys – start using trigger warnings.

gwelf on May 9, 2014 at 5:00 PM

No need to waste a trigger warning on that one, she’s beyond stupid…whenever you see the monicker, just don’t read…make it a default…

When do all of these pols appear in front of white church congregations to talk about the living hell of needing to show ID when voting, I mean if it’s tough for the negr0s (ht: Reid) then it’s just as tough for whitey.

Bishop on May 9, 2014 at 5:20 PM

That’s just your white privilege showing.

You just think it’s easy to get state issued photo ID because you’ve got all the advantages of a white person.

Imagine for a moment you’re a liberal so you can view this issue properly: without your white privilege you’re a functional retard, with the intellect of a child. Getting ID is very hard.

Well Rand, I am offended that democrats cheat and my vote is meaningless. Does it offend these people when they board a plane, go to the doctor, rent a car, open a bank account, buy sudafed, etc. and they have to show a valid ID? What disappointment Rand has turned out to be. Sad!

Whether or not it is easy or hard to get an ID is irrelevant. The fact that the intent of the law is to discourage voter participation for partisan purposes delegitimizes it.

And, if it’s all about ballot security, how come Republicans also began targeting early voting, Sunday voting and voter registration drives — all of which are broadly believed to encourage minority participation?

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:25 PM

Ha ha ha. There’s no evidence of “systemic” voter fraud but vote ID laws are specifically intended to keep black people from voting.

I don’t know what’s more pathetic – the thought that you believe this or that you expect us to believe it.

And we all know that “non-partisan” voter drives are hyper-partisan Democrat GOTV pushes that funnel money to lefty “community organizing” groups. Why an issue with SOME early voting? Because there’s been fraud found in this system (where there are weaknesses in verification). Same with same day voter registration.

I didn’t mention race, you did. Why do you treat black people like criminals?

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:18 PM

Pretty much everywhere in Europe you need an ID to vote, you actually need an ID to exist, period…nobody there is offended by that, they’d be offended if they weren’t asked for an ID… I thought you and your friends on the left take pride in emulating Europe and want to be more like the Europeans in mostly every respect, or was I wrong? :)…

Ha ha ha. You didn’t mention race? You wade in here saying there is zero evidence that “systemic” voter fraud is taking place then claim ignorance that voter ID laws oppressing the vote are ONLY talked about by the left when discussing black voters. AND the fact that this is also the case in all the stuff allahpundit mentions – including tweets form lefties and the fact Paul had been talking to black pastors who are offended by this.

But I guess you do feel shame about your racist attitudes towards blacks because you tried to dodge the implications of your own statements.

gwelf on May 9, 2014 at 5:24 PM

You know, whenever someone starts railing about voter fraud, it always seems to take place in the inner city, black or Hispanic precincts, or among illegal immigrants. I’m sure there’s no racial aspect to the always baseless claims, though.

Whether or not it is easy or hard to get an ID is irrelevant. The fact that the intent of the law is to discourage voter participation for partisan purposes delegitimizes it.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:25 PM

Exactly, if you look at the wording on the legislation it clearly says “This ID requirement will only apply to them there negr0s.”

As plain as day for those who aren’t blind to racism.

Next thing you know some jackhole will require me to provide all sorts of personal information just to buy a hunting rifle for my boy.

Bishop on May 9, 2014 at 5:30 PM

I’m also curious how these voter ID laws target blacks but not whites.

Also note that urban elitist also admits that these measures don’t actually suppress voters.

In fact Georgia which has had these laws for years has seen an INCREASE in the black voter turn out. Us white folks will have to figure out a better way of suppressing the white vote – apparently when the lefties told us they couldn’t figure out how to get ID they were wrong.

Whether or not it is easy or hard to get an ID is irrelevant. The fact that the intent of the law is to discourage voter participation for partisan purposes delegitimizes it.

And, if it’s all about ballot security, how come Republicans also began targeting early voting, Sunday voting and voter registration drives — all of which are broadly believed to encourage minority participation?

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:25 PM

You’re right, I want to stop stupid people from voting. May you never figure the super complicated registration process.

You know, whenever someone starts railing about voter fraud, it always seems to take place in the inner city, black or Hispanic precincts, or among illegal immigrants. I’m sure there’s no racial aspect to the always baseless claims, though.

Former Milwaukee ACORN employee Kevin L. Clancy (pictured above) was convicted of election fraud a few days ago. Clancy’s conviction brings the total number of convictions for former ACORN workers to at least fifteen so far in 2010.

Clancy entered a guilty plea to playing a part “in a scheme to submit fraudulent voter registration applications,” said Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen. Clancy acknowledged submitting multiple voter registration applications for the same persons and registering himself and other voter registration canvassers to vote repeatedly while employed at ACORN during the 2008 election cycle.

A sure sign of a sore loser — or an idiot — is full-on embrace of wild conspiracy theories despite overwhelming evidence that they are misguided.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:19 PM

Yeah, because small-scale voter fruad is a “wild conspiracy theory.” It has never happened, it’s never been decoumented, and its existence would require such a tremendous cabal of evil conspirators as to be a logistical impossibility. Yup, you’re the logical one UE. In fact, why require any oversight of voting? Since fraud is a “wild conspiracy theory,” we should just run it on the honor system. If someone says this is their first vote, we should believe them.

Isn’t it amazing how conservatives focus on small-scale voter fraud that is much more likely/much easier to achieve (yet can still be consequential in close elections), yet liberals latch onto things like votes being changed on Diebold machines by the VRWC? I guess they’re just all idiots and sore losers.

For all of you who don’t know the difference between a conservative and a libertarian, Rand Paul is teaching a valuable lesson. On most issues, libertarians are liberals. Only on some economic and privacy issues are they conservative.

You know, whenever someone starts railing about voter fraud, it always seems to take place in the inner city, black or Hispanic precincts, or among illegal immigrants. I’m sure there’s no racial aspect to the always baseless claims, though.

And, by the way, where is that evidence of voter fraud?

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:34 PM

That’s a pretty lame dodge.

So all the accusations of voter fraud in Minnesota were targeting minority communities? All the ballots found in the trunk of someone’s car? All the votes from felons/prisoners? That’s specifically referring to minorities?

Where is the evidence of voter frauds? NotCoach is schooling you. Go google it – there are lots of instances of it.

I didn’t mention race, you did. Why do you treat black people like criminals?

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:18 PM

And, if it’s all about ballot security, how come Republicans also began targeting early voting, Sunday voting and voter registration drives — all of which are broadly believed to encourage minority participation?

You know, whenever someone starts railing about voter fraud, it always seems to take place in the inner city, black or Hispanic precincts, or among illegal immigrants. I’m sure there’s no racial aspect to the always baseless claims, though.

And, by the way, where is that evidence of voter fraud?

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:34 PM

Yeah, like when conservatives say “I think there may have been voter fraud in Al Franken’s Minnesota Senate election,” that’s a dog whistle for “I hate and distrust brown people.”

I mean, weather aside, Minneapolis is basically identical to Brazzaville.

How do black people or any other aggrieved minority folks buy alcohool in this country? Just curious…

jimver on May 9, 2014 at 5:38 PM

I personally haven’t been carded in a liquor store in decades. But, again, irrelevant.

I’m also curious how these voter ID laws target blacks but not whites.

Also note that urban elitist also admits that these measures don’t actually suppress voters.

In fact Georgia which has had these laws for years has seen an INCREASE in the black voter turn out. Us white folks will have to figure out a better way of suppressing the white vote – apparently when the lefties told us they couldn’t figure out how to get ID they were wrong.

gwelf on May 9, 2014 at 5:35 PM

There is such a thing as “disparate impact,” you know. These laws are passed with the idea that it will diminish Democratic turnout — hence the overwhelming Republican support; the addition of provisions to restrict early and Sunday voting, efforts to suppress the youth vote (no pre-registration, gun licenses accepted but not college IDs); and the occasional “did I say that out loud?” moments of locally prominent politicians.

It is funny to see the efforts of the Confederate rear guard backfire in places like Georgia, due to a black candidate at the head of the ticket and a general and laudable rebellion against obvious efforts to discourage black voting. It doesn’t the intent, though, which is clearly to discourage a (disproportionately poor, young and minority Democratic base from turning out.

Meeting with black pastors and breaking with the party orthodoxy on voter ID is less important to Rand in building his base for the general election than it is in preemptively defusing the “Paul’s a racist” attacks that will begin the instant he emerges as a serious threat for the nomination.

OR maybe he just thinks the GOP should be emphasizing how their policies can help black Americans. The voter ID over-emphasis is playing right into the dems hands.

As with any politician trying to position themselves into the most popular populist position possible, rand is becoming more of a jerk by the day, and losing more support every time he tries to gain using this failed political theory.

It is funny to see the efforts of the Confederate rear guard backfire in places like Georgia, due to a black candidate at the head of the ticket and a general and laudable rebellion against obvious efforts to discourage black voting. It doesn’t the intent, though, which is clearly to discourage a (disproportionately poor, young and minority Democratic base from turning out.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:51 PM

Ah, that’s where my bad faith went! I thought I misplaced it, but it simply was transferred to UE’s pathetic argument.

There is such a thing as “disparate impact,” you know. These laws are passed with the idea that it will diminish Democratic turnout — hence the overwhelming Republican support; the addition of provisions to restrict early and Sunday voting, efforts to suppress the youth vote (no pre-registration, gun licenses accepted but not college IDs); and the occasional “did I say that out loud?” moments of locally prominent politicians.

It is funny to see the efforts of the Confederate rear guard backfire in places like Georgia, due to a black candidate at the head of the ticket and a general and laudable rebellion against obvious efforts to discourage black voting. It doesn’t the intent, though, which is clearly to discourage a (disproportionately poor, young and minority Democratic base from turning out.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:51 PM

Huh, I wonder why a gun license would be accepted but not a college ID.

I’ll have to think about that for a while before I can come up with the answer. I just can’t quite put my finger on it….

(And thanks for beclowning yourself and your argument by showing how lame all the lefty thinking is on this – the laughable ways in which the vote is supposedly being suppressed).

Ah, that’s where my bad faith went! I thought I misplaced it, but it simply was transferred to UE’s pathetic argument.

Of course, 72% of Democrats said that Voter ID was a “good thing” only a year ago, but it can’t be that both sides have an interest in fair and honest elections. Nope, there’s only one explanation: The GOP hates brown people and doesn’t want them to vote. That’s not UE’s opinion, that’s ****ing science.

Good Solid B-Plus on May 9, 2014 at 5:56 PM

Hey, UE only deals in hard facts. He’s said that voter ID is broadly considered as a means of suppressing the minority vote so that must mean 72% of Democrats are vile racists.

There’s no systemic voter fraud and you can’t prove it!1!!!!1!!1eleventy!!!!!

But there is a vast rightwing conspiracy to suppress the black vote!!!1!!!1!!eleventy1!!1!!11

gwelf on May 9, 2014 at 5:54 PM

The more you talk, the less evidence of fraud you produce. And, while we clearly disagree on interpretation, I can point to partisan majorities voting in strictly partisan fashion to make it more difficult to vote in the name of ending fraud that neither you nor they can show exists.

Huh, I wonder why a gun license would be accepted but not a college ID.

because gun owners vote Republican and College students vote Democrat. Obvs.

because gun owners vote Republican and College students vote Democrat. Obvs.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 6:00 PM

Yeah that’s it.

The more you talk, the less evidence of fraud you produce. And, while we clearly disagree on interpretation, I can point to partisan majorities voting in strictly partisan fashion to make it more difficult to vote in the name of ending fraud that neither you nor they can show exists.
urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 6:00 PM

Oh, so you can refute the multiple examples of voter fraud brought up in this thread?

Or is this where you jump to “hey man, I said systemic voter fraud, sure there’s localized voter fraud going on…”.

It is funny to see the efforts of the Confederate rear guard backfire in places like Georgia, due to a black candidate at the head of the ticket and a general and laudable rebellion against obvious efforts to discourage black voting. It doesn’t the intent, though, which is clearly to discourage a (disproportionately poor, young and minority Democratic base from turning out.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:51 PM

Jeebus, I know, these Confederates are just trash, aren’t they? Get a load of this dude, he’s right out “Mississippi Burning”:

In response to multiple voter fraud complaints from his own constituents in Providence, Sen. Harold Metts, a black Democrat, led the charge in favor of a new photo voter identification law that is now operative in the Ocean State *Rhode Island*

It doesn’t the intent, though, which is clearly to discourage a (disproportionately poor, young and minority Democratic base from turning out.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 5:51 PM

Wow. You really think that low of poor people, young people, minorities, and Democrat voters in general that you think they can’t be held to the same standards as rich people, older people, majorities, and Republican voters in general?

[Sigh.] Why is it that Democrats and liberals never “evolve” to become more conservative?

It’s because in morals, as in the physical universe, the Second Law of Thermodynamics only runs one way.

Rand, what you don’t get is that ANYONE who stands up for standards and the rule of law is going to be criticized as “harsh.” Stand you ground, make a case, and come to term with the fact that when you stand for principle, some people will vigorously oppose you.

Apparently democrats do not go to the doctor or to the hospital because valid ID is required. Try going to college without a valid ID. Try opening a bank account without a valid ID. The list goes on and on. Democrats would have us believe when it is time to vote, no one has an ID. What rubbish.

Surrendering on every issue out of fear of what dems might say is what’s playing right into the dems hands. Rand is so pathetic, he’s not even willing to stand up for an idea that even a majority of blacks support.

I’m just glad he can’t stop revealing himself as the fool he is BEFORE getting the nomination instead of after. It means we won’t have to worry about him getting nominated or winning the White House. So, for that I say thank you, Rand. Keep up the good work.

This is great. urban elitist is surely in support of lessening the checks in place to owning and purchasing a firearm. He wouldn’t want to keep them out of the hands of minorities, students and the poor would he? That’s preventing them from exercising their Constitutional rights.

For all of you who don’t know the difference between a conservative and a libertarian, Rand Paul is teaching a valuable lesson. On most issues, libertarians are liberals. Only on some economic and privacy issues are they conservative.

fight like a girl on May 9, 2014 at 5:42 PM

Yep. Rand has been steadily declining in my estimation. He is basically another Romney. Not interested in conservative votes but instead trying to attract the moderate republican, libertarian and fiscal-minded democrat votes. I stopped looking seriously at him a while ago.

The more you talk, the less evidence of fraud you produce. And, while we clearly disagree on interpretation, I can point to partisan majorities voting in strictly partisan fashion to make it more difficult to vote in the name of ending fraud that neither you nor they can show exists.

urban elitist on May 9, 2014 at 6:00 PM

Except that both parties when surveyed broadly support Voter ID laws, so it isn’t a “strictly partisan fashuon.”

It is the ultimate form of racism to treat minorities any different than non-minorities, no matter what color.

Regurgitate this for a time.

Schadenfreude on May 9, 2014 at 6:10 PM

Shad your white privilege is showing.

If you were a liberal you’d know that your white privilege empowers you in ways you aren’t even conscious of. Like getting ID. This may seem like a simple task to you but to black people – who don’t have your white privilege – it’s difficult.

I am unsure why any group would be offended by the GOP accusing them of stealing elections — despite a complete lack of evidence of any systematic fraud — and then going out of their way to make it harder for them to vote. Rand’s just overreacting.

urban effetist on May 9, 2014 at 5:12 PM

LOL, Bill Clinton taught you well on the selective parsing of words in order to say absolutely nothing.

A+

But your entire premise is fatally flawed, because:

1. It totally ignores all of the documented evidence of Democrat Voter and Vote Fraud, going all the way back to JFK stealing the 1960 election in Illinois and Texas.

2. It totally ignores all of the cases of Democrat election fraud that do not require what you quaintly describe as “systematic fraud”. After all, your Democrats managed to steal a Senate election for Al Franken, and the final difference in votes was relatively tiny (just over 300 votes out of the 1.2+ million votes Franken got.)

You do the math on what percent of 1.2 million that 312 votes is. Hint: it’s infinitesimal. But it was enough to steal that election.

Same with the 2000 Presidential election recount in Florida; if your Democrats had been able to manufacture just 538 votes more, than your man Algore would have been the one who inherited the 9/11 attacks from his boss.

Rand “the panderer.” I am beginning to believe this guy has no more core values than Nancy Pelosi or Harry Greed.

It isn’t racist to ask for a photo ID when people board a plane, apply for a post office box or a bank account, apply for welfare, buy tobacco or alcohol, attend a Barack Obama rally or an NAACP rally opposing voter ID. It’s only racist to ask for a voter ID to prevent fraud.

Hey, Rand, the only people who don’t like it are those who are engaged in voter fraud. Clean up your act. Stop going along with the establishment or a huge number of people won’t vote for you for dog catcher.